The invention concerns a hydraulic wheel drive for a motor vehicle, in particular for trucks, and particularly preferably for heavy goods vehicles or buses. An operating method for such motor vehicles is also given.
For many applications, it is necessary or at least useful to operate a motor vehicle both in the off-road sector and in the on-road sector. The off-road sector is characterized in particular by dirt roads such as usually occur on construction sites or in forests. The on-road sector is characterized in particular by asphalted roads, in particular for long-distance traffic. In the off-road sector, situations often occur in which the motor vehicle, because of the loose ground, cannot create sufficient traction, in particular with a single-axle drive as is normal for on-road vehicles, and becomes stuck. To this end, known off-road vehicles are fitted with a mechanical all-wheel drive system which normally comprises a primary mechanical drive unit. Such a drive unit (e.g., drive train) is normally arranged behind the engine, i.e., downstream in the direction of the power flow or force transmission. This drive unit comprises at least the gearbox, cardan shafts and mechanically driven axles, and transmits the mechanical power generated by the engine to the axles or wheels of a vehicle.